


What Harry Taught Barry

by Wishweaver



Series: Conversations [2]
Category: The Flash (TV 2014), The Flash - All Media Types
Genre: Acceptance, Conflict, Family Dynamics, Gen, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-09
Updated: 2017-07-09
Packaged: 2018-11-29 23:27:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11451273
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wishweaver/pseuds/Wishweaver
Summary: This is a cut scene from Grieving for a Phantom Child that I fleshed out and made into a companion piece.It’s essentially one idea about what could have happened to allow Barry to see Joe's point of view and peacefully co-exist with his foster father (most of the time, anyway) in spite of Joe not believing him about the man in yellow.





	What Harry Taught Barry

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: If you recognize it, I don’t own it.
> 
> Author’s notes:
> 
> The release date for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was July 8, 2000. (Google)  
> We know Cisco is the supreme Harry Potter fan on the Flash CW show, but I’m assuming Barry and Iris are also fans of the series.

_Summer Break, 2000_

Iris appreciated a good book. More than that, she appreciated a good _story—_ a world she could get lost in. That was probably why she was counting down the days until the next installment of the _Harry Potter_ series was due out. Barry still wasn’t completely back to being his usual nerdy self so he wasn’t as overt in his excitement. He _did_ go along with her suggestion to re-read the previous Harry Potter books right before the new one came out so they’d be caught up and ready to read about Harry’s fourth year at Hogwarts.

She was on the couch deep in _The Chamber of Secrets_ one sticky afternoon when Barry suddenly came thundering down the stairs and plopped down beside her.   

“Iris!”

“Barry,” Iris groaned, drawing his name out to show her annoyance because oh my god, psychotic relatives, house elves and flying cars!

“You remember everything turns out okay, right?” Barry asked, closing his mouth and looking a little embarrassed when Iris just raised a haughty eyebrow at him. “Right. Sorry. Can I just tell you one small thing before I leave you alone?”

Sighing, Iris marked her place and closed the book. “Make it fast. I was in the zone. Not everyone plows through books like you do,” she said, noting with slight annoyance that Barry was holding his copy of _Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban_ and judging by where he was marking his place with his finger he was almost done with it.

Nodding, Barry opened his book and thrust it towards her. “Look at this! I’d forgotten, but it’s just like what happened to my family!” he exclaimed, making Iris bristle in offense.

“Um, one, your parents weren’t both killed. Two, if you’re actually comparing my dad and me to the Dursleys I will punch you in the mouth—even if I wind up grounded for it.”

Barry looked completely shocked, even turned the book to ensure he had the correct page before turning it back. “What? NO!” he exclaimed. “Are you even looking at what I’m trying to show you?”

Mollified, Iris flicked her eyes to the text Barry was pointing at and discovered, no, he wasn’t talking about James, Lily, and Voldemort. He was pointing to the text that told of Ron’s rat Scabbers actually being Peter Pettigrew in disguise. He was referring to the part when Harry discovered Sirius Black was innocent and falsely imprisoned.

“And then there’s this,” Barry said, flipping a few pages. “In the hospital wing where Dumbledore says, ‘There is not a shred of proof to support Black’s story, except your word—and the word of two thirteen year old wizards will not convince anybody.’ It may just be a story, Iris, but he’s right. I need proof. Proof that the man in yellow exists. Proof that _he_ murdered my mom. Joe will never believe me otherwise. I know that now.”

Iris stared at Barry as the enormity of what he was saying dawned on her. He was right, of course. Barry usually was. But proof? “Barry…I have no idea where to even start,” she finally said, Chamber of Secrets forgotten.

“I don’t either,” Barry admitted, giving her a tight little smile, “but I guess until I have proof there’s no point in arguing with your dad anymore. I mean, I can’t promise I’ll never slip up, and I’m not going to admit my dad did something he didn’t, but I know you don’t like it when we fight. Honestly, I don't like it either. I know I owe Joe a lot for taking me in and stuff.”

Touched, Iris grasped his hand. “I know you saw something, Barry, but I wasn’t there. And you and Dad both seem so sure of your version of things.”

Barry sighed. “Joe thinks the police’s version sounds more reasonable because it doesn’t include impossible elements, but I think it does!” he asserted. “Joe says he’s seen it before. He says people can hide their true natures or just snap sometimes. But I don’t understand how anyone could believe my dad would hurt my mom. They loved each other. The counselor keeps trying to get me to admit my parents’ marriage was troubled or my father was prone to violence, but he wasn’t!  I mean, he wasn’t perfect. He’d get angry or frustrated sometimes, but who doesn’t? He was a doctor. His job was to _save_ lives. He loved Mom and me. I thought Joe was Dad’s friend. I thought he knew what kind of person my dad is.”

Iris was quiet for a long time. When she finally spoke, she chose her words carefully. “I don’t think my dad wanted to believe your dad hurt your mom, Barry. Grandma Esther and I talked some when she visited during Spring Break. She thinks my dad’s so angry with yours because he prides himself on being a good judge of character. He isn’t used to completely misjudging people. In his line of work a mistake like that can get you killed,” Iris said sadly. “At the end of the day it doesn’t matter what he _wants_ to believe, he can’t go against the available evidence, and right or wrong, the evidence seems to indicate your dad is guilty. He knows you love your dad and he’s trying to prevent you from making a mistake and putting yourself in danger. She also said sometimes bad things happen to good people. It isn't right, it isn't fair, it just is.”

Barry pursed his lips like he hadn’t thought of it like that before. “So, we’re back to finding proof,” he said, looking longingly at Prisoner of Azkaban. “I wish I had a Marauder’s Map to help me identify the man in yellow. What if he’s in disguise like Peter Pettigrew was, watching how things are going?”

Iris made a face. “That would be creepy, Bear. And stupid. If he got away with pinning your mom’s murder on your dad, why would he stay here and risk getting caught?”

“Good point.” Barry fell silent for a moment, deep in thought. “Well, Joe’s always telling me my story is unbelievable, maybe I can start there. Maybe the answer is in stories like that—the ones no one believes are possible.”         


End file.
